Pardon My Take – “Rory Wins Back To Back Masters, Scott Van Pelt Joins Us Live From Augusta, NBA Playoffs Set + Who's Back Of The Week”

Date: April 13, 2026
Hosts: Big Cat & PFT Commenter (Barstool Sports), with guests and producers

Episode Overview

This post-Masters Monday delivers the classic, irreverent “Pardon My Take” blend: an in-depth, mostly affectionate roast of Rory McIlroy’s historic back-to-back Masters titles, a traditional interview with ESPN anchor Scott Van Pelt (SVP) from Augusta’s airport lounge, NBA playoff hot takes (including a deep-dive on tanking, beer pricing, and the joyless regular season), NHL and EPL storylines, and the trademark “Who’s Back of the Week.”

Expect sharp opinions, competitive sports energy, and inside-sports media banter—this one’s for sports obsessives who also want big laughs.

Main Segments & Key Discussion Points

1. Rory McIlroy’s Back-to-Back Masters Victory

Timestamps: 02:55 - 31:22

• First Reactions:

  • Mixed feelings on Rory’s win; acknowledgment of his greatness but strong “not our guy” energy.
    • “Congrats to Rory... I think we should invite, I think we should make Rory say no to coming on this podcast.” (PFT Commenter, 03:16)
    • “He’s now at six [majors]... he’s still obviously chasing Tiger, he’s still chasing Jack Nicklaus.” (Hank, 03:35)
  • Recognition: Only fourth time ever someone has repeated at the Masters (Nicklaus, Faldo, Woods, McIlroy).

• Tournament Narrative & Key Competitors:

  • Recap of late drama: Rory’s massive lead was cut, with Scotty Scheffler, Justin Rose, and Cam Young lurking.
  • The afternoon lacked the chaotic playoff potential the hosts craved:
    • “There was a moment on Sunday where it was like, are we going to have a five-person playoff?” (PFT Commenter, 20:21)
  • Rory managed the course, played “fast and confident,” and—unlike “vintage Rory”—didn’t choke.

• Rory Critique & Private Jet Mini-Scandal:

  • Story about Rory flying his private jet for daily Augusta practice. Hosts mockingly ponder the carbon footprint, but admit “if you had the means, you’d do it.”
    • “He used up an entire brontosaurus.” (PFT Commenter, 09:17)
    • “You probably killed 500,000 people doing that, hope it was worth your time.” (Hank, 08:40)

• Golf Media/Culture Notes:

  • Harsh critiques of Augusta’s TV camera work in the final holes:
    • “We didn’t see Rory’s ball go in the hole to win the tournament. Might not have gone in.” (PFT, 11:09-11:15)
    • Repeated shots of “teens drinking beer in Northern Ireland.”
  • Augusta traditions lampooned: hat discourse (egg salad), “should you shrink the crowd?”, cell phone confiscation praised.

• Other Players:

  • Sergio Garcia’s emotional outburst (“He smashed his driver, hit the water cooler, but if you’ve got a green jacket, they can’t keep you out!”)
  • Homages to Max Homa (“Max is going to win one”), Brooks Koepka and Jake Knapp making the cut for “PMT sweep” next year.

2. Interview: Scott Van Pelt Live from Augusta Airport

Timestamps: 80:27 - 116:47

• Masters Recap with SVP:

  • SVP wasn’t rooting for Rory, wanted a win for Justin Rose (“I want him to win one, Rory already has one” 81:28).
  • Observations on diminished drama: “It was close, but kind of fake close... Never got that sense we’re playing five-wide into darkness.” (SVP, 83:17)
  • Admits Rory’s previous win “lifted all the baggage.” If he hadn’t won last year, “I don’t think he’d have held up” (SVP, 85:36)

• On Rory’s Preparation/‘Mamba Mentality’:

  • SVP laughs off the “PJ Practice” criticism: “Why wouldn’t he become the most prepared golfer for this tournament?” (88:07)

• Future Major Predictions:

  • Over/under for Rory’s career majors set at 8.5. SVP: “Three more seems like a lot... Eight feels like a healthy number.” (88:44)
  • Would take Scotty Scheffler over Rory on total majors, citing more “runway”: “Just trying to be Hot Take Scotty.” (89:54)

• Deep Cut Augusta/Nerd Golf Q&A:

  • Confirms, as a “media guy permitted a cell phone,” it still feels like contraband (“Even though I know I’m allowed... if I pull it out, I still sort of hide it...”

• Classic SVP Banter:

  • “Big Texas” pastry running joke: “It’s my version of Max Homa’s ‘spicy meatball.’ It’s all I heard all week at Augusta.” (108:32)
  • Culinary and Vegas stories: Gentle ribbing over wining and dining, blackjack, and the perennial prospect of joining a PMT-fueled bachelor party.

• Augusta Course Difficulty Mythbusting:

  • Hank claims he could break 110 at Augusta from the tips in 10 tries.
  • SVP: “You have no chance of doing that... It’s so much harder than you think.” (112:48)

Memorable SVP Quotes

• “It’s not a question. It’s a statement. ‘Hey, Scott. Big Texas.’” (109:47)
• [On Rory] “He gets to go to the champions locker room last night. He knows he’s good. If he hadn’t won last year... the weight would have been too much.” (86:34)

3. NBA Playoffs & Regular Season Anti-Tanking Rants

Timestamps: 33:29 – 47:00 (main), sprinkled throughout

• Doc Rivers Departs Milwaukee (“departing,” not fired):

  • “He is the original constantly hoarse basketball head coach.” (34:14)
  • PMT lampoons his “Google me” plea, suggests he’ll either get another exec job or retire.

• Tanking Exposé:

  • Jazz vs. Grizzlies “once-in-a-generation tank-off”: Four 10-day guys, triple-doubles, active benching of hot hands, total apathy.
    • “It was unbelievable... a must-lose game for both teams.” (35:00)
    • “It’s gotten to the point where it’s just, it’s blatant.” (36:36)
  • Brainstorming league solutions: “Dynamic beer pricing”—winners pay more for beer, losers get 10-cent beers.
    • “Wizards fans deserve to have 10-cent beers for every game.” (38:06)
  • General consensus: This was “the worst NBA regular season” of their lifetimes—too much tanking, non-competitive halves, fan malaise.

• NBA Playoff matchups & Play-In Snark:

  • PMT crew debates who even wants to be in the Play-In, mocks the Sixers’ perennial status as “fodder” for Boston.
    • “Max, everybody said last year the Knicks had no chance [against the Celtics].” (42:11)
  • Shot at Play-In logic: “I don’t like the Play-In... the ninth and 10th seed are not going to win.” (42:20)
  • Futures bets: “Just gotta get Embiid back”; the crew gamely rallies behind the Sixers.

See also: playful worries about Boston’s psyche, good-natured Philly/New York banter, and speculation on Brian Windhorst’s hotel strategy.

4. “Who’s Back of the Week”

Timestamps: 57:28 – 78:14

• Justin Bieber / “Bieberchella”:

  • Biebs is “back,” performing at Coachella (“the most relatable and hateable couple of all time” – Bieber + Katy Perry + Justin Trudeau references, 57:31)
  • “There’s nowhere that looks more appealing to be at than the Masters, and nowhere that looks less appealing than Coachella.” (E, 58:14)

• Alexander Ovechkin / NHL Playoff Bubble Watch:

  • “If we make the playoffs he might be back next year.” (Hank, 62:41)
  • Detailed breakdown of Capitals vs. Flyers playoff math, getting lost in statistical weeds.

• Peculiar Statues:

  • Bad honorary sports statue design (Ichiro, with “sad bat” energy, 71:26)

• Communication Faux Pas:

  • Group debate (playfully heated) about the tone in texting: is “K” or “OK” more passive-aggressive?
    • “I fire off K when I’m upset.” (PFT, 73:35)
    • “K period is I’m pissed at you.” (Max, 74:55)

5. EPL Relegation Stakes

Timestamps: 49:43 – 56:53

• The crew discusses the schadenfreude potential of Tottenham Hotspur, a giant EPL club, facing relegation.
  • “I’m excited about the idea of a team that has this much invested potentially getting relegated.” (Hank, 51:09)
  • “They just bottled so many times, over and over.” (PFT, 53:12)
• Humorous confusion over EPL teams, cities, mascots—classic PMT as American sports fans dipping their toes in soccer.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On tanking/the NBA regular season:

  • “Wizards fans deserve to have 10-cent beers for every game.” (Hank, 38:06)

• On cell phone bans at Augusta:

  • “If you pull out your phone, buddy, you’re taking your badge into your own hands.” (SVP, 94:06)

• On Max Homa’s near-miss:

  • “Max is going to win one. I really believe that... He’s just putting it together all four days.” (PFT, 14:36)

• On being snubbed by athletes:

  • “Mount Rushmore of guys never coming on this podcast: LeBron, Rory, Taylor Swift... Bryson has a way better chance than Rory.” (PFT & Hank, 16:25–16:36)

• Scott Van Pelt, on being Big Texas meme famous:

  • “It’s not a question. It’s a statement. ‘Hey, Scott. Big Texas.’” (SVP, 109:47)

• Augusta mythbusting:

  • “If you gave me 10 tries from the tips at Augusta, I could break 110 on two of those tries.” (Hank, 112:34)
  • SVP: “You have no chance of doing that... It’s so much harder than you think.” (112:48)

• On Rory’s “private jet” preparation:

  • “He used up an entire brontosaurus.” (PFT Commenter, 09:17)

Additional Highlights & Running Jokes

• Lengthy ranking of celebrities most likely to never appear on PMT (“LeBron, Rory, Taylor Swift...”).
• Recap of golf etiquette, Augusta’s morality clause, and hat-gate (egg salad and domestic beer hat suggestions).
• “No technology” events as a growing (craved!) trend—a bar or concert where you surrender your phone for social benefit.
• Masters-tier riffing: Vending machine confusion (“condiment dispenser!”), “dinner time” with SVP, and Vegas misadventures.
• Accusatory, over-analytical break-downs of “K’s” in text messages and the root of “OK.”
• Hint of actual inside reporting: DOJ investigating the NFL; wild speculation that the Murdoch family is behind it (“Follow the money”).

Timestamps to Jump In

• 02:55 – Start of Masters/Rory deep dive
• 33:29 – NBA tanking, regular season rant begins
• 36:34 – Epic Jazz/Grizzlies tank-off analysis
• 57:28 – Who’s Back of the Week
• 80:27 – Scott Van Pelt interview from Augusta
• 112:34 – Augusta mythbusting ("Can you break 110?” debate)
• 116:47 – Episode outro, NBA bracket wrap-up

Summary Table

| Topic | Time Range | Key Contributors | |-----------------------------|----------------|------------------| | Rory’s Masters Victory | 02:55–31:22 | Big Cat, PFT, Hank, SVP | | NBA Playoffs & Tanking | 33:29–47:00 | Big Cat, PFT, Hank, Max | | Scott Van Pelt Interview | 80:27–116:47 | Big Cat, PFT, Hank, SVP | | Who’s Back | 57:28–78:14 | All | | EPL Relegation | 49:43–56:53 | Big Cat, PFT, Hank, Zach |

Final Thoughts

This PMT episode is a masterclass in making sports discourse fun, funny, and incisively critical—especially when it comes to the Masters’ pageantry (and hypocrisy), the NBA’s tank-a-thon, and the “PMT Extended Universe” of running gags. Scott Van Pelt’s annual post-Masters cameo is a show highlight, balancing insight and self-parody. If you want all the inside jokes, expert sports banter, and quotable moments to stay in the loop, this is essential listening.

Favorite Sign-Off:

“It’s not a question. It’s a statement. ‘Hey, Scott. Big Texas.’” (Scott Van Pelt, 109:47)

“Congrats to Rory. Good job.” (PFT Commenter, 19:03—grudging, as only PMT can deliver.)

See episode for sponsors and full banter. Skip to [02:55] for serious golf talk, [80:27] for the SVP interview, or [33:29] for NBA playoff/tanking takes.